Cold unsettled conditions on the cards for the week - Met Éireann

Very unsettled weather is expected for the coming week, according to Met Éireann, while it will also be colder than normal over the next few days.

Today will be windy in places at first, especially in coastal areas and in the east, but strong northwesterly winds will continue to decrease this morning, becoming mostly light to moderate westerly today.

A mainly dry, bright day is expected, with sunny spells, but a few scattered showers will occur in the early morning.

Maximum temperatures will only reach 6° to 9°, while cloud will increase gradually from the Atlantic, possibly bringing some drizzle to the north-west later.

Early tonight, rain will develop along west and south-west coasts, extending to all parts overnight and turning heavy in places.

It will also become very windy, with strong and gusty southerly winds; it will be cold at first in the east and north-east, but will become mild later. Minimum temperatures will drop to 4° to 7°.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Tuesday, will be wet and very windy, with occasional rain, which will be heavy in places. Clearer conditions, with scattered showers, will extend from the Atlantic during the afternoon and evening.

Strong and gusty southerly winds will veer southwest to west with the clearance, easing a little. It will be very mild for a time, but will turn cold later. Maximum temperatures will hit 11° to 14°.

Meanwhile, tomorrow night will be breezy, with a mix of clear spells and scattered showers; most of the showers will occur in the western half of the country, with a risk of hail and thunder in Atlantic coastal areas.

Showers may turn wintry over high ground, it was added, with minimum temperatures of 1° to 4°, in moderate to fresh, west to south-west winds.

Outlook

Wednesday will be very cold and breezy, with sunny spells and scattered showers, according to Met Éireann.

Some of the showers will be heavy and of hail, with a risk of thunder, especially in Atlantic coastal counties.

Some wintry showers are possible also, mainly over high ground. Maximum temperatures will only hit 3° to 7°, with moderate to fresh westerly winds.

It will be cold at first on Wednesday night, with a risk of frost in the east and north, but milder conditions, with rain and strengthening southerly winds, will extend gradually from the Atlantic.

Thursday will be mostly cloudy, with occasional showers or longer spells of rain, possibly heavy in places.

Top temperatures will reach 7° to 11°, in mostly moderate southwesterly breezes, later veering west to northwest and strengthening.

Thursday night will be quite windy, with clear spells and showers, but with no significant frost, and minimum temperatures of 2° to 6°, Met Éireann says.